◣ TEST DRIVE 002 ◢

[raiamods]

TEST DRIVE MEME 002 ❀

CONTENT WARNINGS: potential character nudity, violence, trypophobia (images) as well as light mentions of gore.

Please note: FOR THE FIRST 24 HOURS AFTER 'HATCHING', CHARACTERS WILL FEEL WEAK AND ANY POWERS THEY HAVE WILL NOT WORK.

Test drive meme threads can be considered game canon for players who are later accepted and wish to keep their CR. The Quago prompt will be a TDM-exclusive. Existing players are welcome to use the prompts for their in-game logs, but it will not be repeated as part of the hatching. The other prompts that you see here will also appear on our July hatching log. There will, of course, be more going on that week, including the wrap-up for our June event.

Please reserve questions about altering or meaningfully investigating the setting for the first log of the game, where we will have a Mod Questions thread at the top of the log. That thread will not be present on this test drive meme.

❀ HATCHING

This time, the Adamant's survivors are ready. When the Hatchlings arrive, they are no longer held at gunpoint or the tip of a spear. They are helped up, taken to the showers, given time to clean themselves.

They are still quarantined for a few days — albeit in a more comfortable setting. An area of the Theatre has been set up with emergency bunking and privacy screens. Each bunk has a small bundle of amenities on it — a change of clothing (that may be too big or too small, too fine or too plain, feel free to swap!) and what precious else can be spared, including a small tube of protein paste. Given that the theater doubles as a childcare center for the basecamp, your character may find that any toddler-aged children will stare hungrily at these tubes!

Ensign Ashley Porter flits about this emergency station at all hours, chatting amicably at people. Explaining the situation. He's reasonably certain it's his fault — the entire 'hatching' process seemed to start after he tripped one day and fell into the Central Chrysalis. This disturbance must have triggered the process of pulling in people from other universes. He's terribly sorry and will say he understands if people want to be angry at him or hate him for it. He also makes mention of the fact that some people have found personal items if they return to the Chrysalis — in eggs, like the ones they woke up in.

The Hatchlings are given a few days to acclimate, and then they are expected to contribute to the duties around camp. The day-to-day life in Basecamp Leviathan is not glamorous. Repairs are always needing to be done, food is always needing to be made, dishes always needing to be washed. Anyone with specialized skills will probably be snapped up by a division before too long!

A few notes:

☆ Your character will at some point be pulled aside and asked about where they're from, what year, any personal information they wish to share, etc. This is no longer described as an 'interrogation' as with the first set of Hatchlings. It's now more of a chat. Captain Childe has deferred this duty to her various underlings, and she will likely not make an appearance here unless a Hatchling says or does something very interesting or meaningful.

☆ The NPCs will be as forthcoming about how the Hatchlings have arrived and what they know about the Chrysalis as possible. Unfortunately to both, the answer is 'not much'. They will still try to be transparent about this.

❀ EXPLORE THE BASECAMP

The Engineering Corps is always looking for new members who can contribute to some of its long term infrastructure solutions. The head of this department, Thorkil, is a large man with a booming voice who brews moonshine on the side and is the sort of bright, cheerful soul that can light up a room when he enters it. He is friendly with all the Hatchlings unless given a reason to be otherwise, and he is also very patient, gentle and understanding. If your character has demonstrated engineering skills of any coat or color (mechanical? electrical? outdated by hundreds of years? more advanced by a millennium?) please expect that Thorkil will ask if they'd be willing to help out!

The Security Division is headed up by a rather unpleasant man named Rémi. He neither wants nor, in his opinion, needs the help of the Hatchlings, but he's perfectly willing to let them risk their lives instead of the lives of his people where leaving the basecamp is concerned. Little wonder, most of his division has been chewed up and spit out by the harsh conditions on Ethyraia — can one blame him for being a little protective? If anyone asks about helping here, he's going to respond scornfully and dismissively. However, some of the Hatchlings have earned enough of his goodwill that he will consider, consider letting people have a weapon from Security's stores if they're leaving the Basecamp. (Carrying of non-Hatchling weapons is forbidden within the basecamp itself, so please be mindful!)

The Theatre is another venue that one could help out with — there are stories to be told! The current production is a classic, She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen. However, after performing this for the thessyx at the talent show, the theater department is moving onto their next show — Procyonate, for which there are many props to build. As the only truly fortified building in the Basecamp, the theatre doubles as a place to care for children (most of the 'young' survivors are between 13-19 now, but babies have been born to the survivors since their crash-landing!) there is also a need for anyone who excels with toddler care. They are also looking for anyone who can sing, write music, or play instruments. Such people will be hastily recruited and put to work!

The Aid Station is being run by a very harried woman named Sunya Hyacinth, who fits the description of 'overworked and underpaid' to a T. She doesn't have time to reach out to any recruits, but if you wander into the Aid Station you might find yourself being put to work. Just be careful — if she decides you have higher accreditation than she does, she might just decide to dump her practice on your lap for a week so she can go take a vacation! Standard injuries you may see include acid burns, broken bones, and bad cuts and gashes out of the engineering department who's hard at work repairing the sink holes around the base. Some of the 'ill' being treated will also have psychological effects. PTSD is common, and there are no officially 'trained' counsellors, just people who try to listen and help.

The Sanitation Department handles a lot of the day-to-day cleaning that involves sewage, garbage, et al. After all, it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it! Not only will they take just about anyone, but if they warm up to you they'll let you in on a little secret... they've totally started an underground green house where they're growing some interesting plants...

(pot, it's pot).

The Communications Department is headed up by the AI Cartagena, and helps with disseminating useful information to the population, as well as managing the intranet and its infrastructure. Cartagena will be quick to point out (cheerfully) that they don't get days off and would love for someone else to make announcements once in a while! A small group of the communications department is also hard at work on a distress signal, persevering in the belief that someone will come looking for the wayward Adamant.

The Agriculture department could always use a few new green thumbs around their little hydroponic garden units, and of course the Mess Hall is in dire need of someone who can make ten pounds of questionable protein paste taste palpable...

Otherwise, the daily grind in Ethyraia seems to be fairly... well, grind-y. People wake early to manage their chores in the early hours, everyone breaks during the hot hours of the afternoon to nap or lounge around, sometimes they take in the daily movie at the Theatre, and then it's back to work for the afternoon shift. People generally work from 7 AM to 11 AM, and then have between 11 AM and 3 PM 'off' (with the exception of anyone on KP duty) and then work again until 11 PM. Exceptions are: each person's designated 'days off', or recovery time from injuries/etc. Ideally, the Adamant's survivors will work 4 days and has 3 off in a week, but oftentimes this is cancelled due to need.

While it's not mandatory that the Hatchlings work, those that don't 'pull their weight' so to speak will find themselves being increasingly shunned by the community, and the quality of their rations and their overall care will decrease. There isn't enough to go around on the best days, much less when someone isn't contributing at all!

What goes on at the base for me to engage with?:

You are free to invent NPCs to have (minor) antagonistic clashes with, or who can flag down your character to assist with something, or who you can have to help 'rescue' on a mission outside the Leviathan. We want to give players as much freedom as we can within the structure of the game, and we would rather people not feel limited.

What else can I do?:

There is no one keeping your character physically at the Basecamp! If they would like to leave and go exploring on their own, that is perfectly welcome. For the sake of the TDM, we would ask that anyone choosing this option refrain from asking us any in-depth questions — we will happily collaborate with people once they're in the game.

A few additional notes:

☆ If your character leaves the basecamp and wanders outside the Leviathan, they may begin to notice that what they perhaps took as a giant cave is actually an enormous dragon. Everything they see that seems 'human made' will look varying levels of worn down, patched, repaired and patched again. This is not a place of prosperity and happiness. Many people are recently injured, or have new scars or missing limbs.

☆ While mods will not be facilitating exploration beyond the basecamp at this time, characters are welcome to take on any number of missions, such as rescuing civilians, gathering supplies or travelling to the furthest 'mapped out' areas to try and chart the lands. If you would like to use any of these prompts or can think of anything else you'd like to do, feel free! If you app into the game and would like to use any of these threads as 'canon', please just let us know so we can include or incorporate any details into our overall worldbuilding! (Or work with you to tweak some details to suit!)

☆ If you think your character wouldn't be interested in helping or pitching in, that's fine! However, please be aware of the consequences that will follow — a decrease in NPC esteem, support, etc. The NPCs understand that the Hatchlings didn't ask to be here, but they simply do not have the resources or manpower to accommodate for anyone who doesn't want to work or assist in engaging with local infrastructure. Your character will not be ICly ousted from the basecamp, but they will experience a poorer quality of food and little social engagement from the NPCs. Even Captain Childe picks up a trenching tool with the best of them!

❀ THE QUAGO

One day, a patrol team brings back a small potted plant in a containment jar. It seems rather innocuous at first, and one of the more science-minded survivors sets it aside to study it. Unfortunately for the intrepid habitants of the Basecamp Leviathan, this was the equivalent of cradle robbing! This plant is the young form of a creature known as a Quago, which is a large, semi-sentient creature with myriad tendrils and no fixed roots. It's something of a flora/fauna hybrid, and it's here for its baby!

This creature releases spores into Basecamp that, for the most part, will put people to sleep. However, some people have... different reactions. It can also cause: hallucinations, itchy rashes, feelings of thirst, lightheadedness and, perhaps counter-intuitively, insomnia. The hallucinations can range from 'acid trip' to 'that dream I once had about riding Falcor'. Not everyone will be affected — some people might have natural immunity from this strange creature.

Concern around the basecamp run high: are the conditions caused by something in the food? Is this a new Ethyraia-native illness? None of those infected seem to improve on their own. The Agricultural department is particularly on high alert until, after two days, someone notices that those that are affected can be roused by... chocolate?

Vidar and Cal Kestis, in the month prior, found a box of rare rations aboard the wreck of the Adamant. They brought this box back and opted to share it among the Survivors, and one of the items happened to be hot chocolate powder. A little sprinkle of it under the tongue of anyone sleeping, hallucinating or otherwise experiencing symptoms of the spores will find themselves returned to normalcy in a handful of minutes.

(They could also drink hot chocolate, but where's the fun in that?)

The Quago will come into the basecamp, steal its plant child and flee back to nature. It will not harm or attack anyone, but the effects of its spores will linger for one week. Those sleeping will seem almost to be in a state of suspended animation, and do not need to be tended.

Can my character fight the Quaggo? How big is it? What does it look like?

Your character will likely not notice the Quaggo unless they are one of the very rare people immune to its effects. It is not hostile or violent, and killing it will not cure the symptoms of those affected. Could you kill it? Yes, but then you'd have to live with the guilt!

It is approximately the size of a VW minibus (minibus for scale!) though perhaps a little taller. It is mostly a tangled nimbus of vines and bracken around a central 'nucleus'. Imagine a giant, sci-fi tumbleweed with a disturbing amount of sentience.

Can my character experience more than one effect of it throughout these three days?

Yes! You are free to mix and match the symptoms as you desire. Feel free to be creative! Your character could be an itchy insomniac, or hallucinate Spongebob LARP while being very thirsty... or any other combo you can imagine!

FETCH QUEST

Once characters realize that it's chocolate that makes the difference, a singular prospect looms. There is nothing native to Ethyraia that produces chocolate — so the only hope is to travel back to the Adamant and search through its wreckage for another such box.

Luckily, Cal and Vidar have already done a great deal of work! They've cleared a previously blocked-off area of the wreck, and the route to an old storage area of the Adamant is now traversable. Any character cogent enough or immune to the spores will be able to make the trip. However, given the scorching heat and the intermittent acid rain, we would ask that a 'baseline' character (ie: someone without super speed or a vehicle/pet of some sort they arrived with from home) take roughly 2-3 days to make this round trip.

There's a possibility there could be more luxury items such as chocolate undisturbed in the Adamant for the past three years. For those who make the trip, feel free to find one small luxury item that your character can hold onto in addition to the other goods they bring back for the basecamp as a whole.

The wreckage of the Adamant is empty and overgrown. Most of the bodies have been moved out of the crash in the interest of burying them properly, but there are some that were caught in areas that were simply unreachable or unstable, so the ship is rank with death. Any of the plants listed in our herbiary may be found inside the wreckage, and players may engage with any of their myriad effects (or, if you're an existing player, feel free to add more!). There is no internal power to the Adamant, so even the emergency lighting on the floors will be out.

Can my character make a side-trip while at the Adamant crash site?

At this time we will not be facilitating further in-depth exploration prompts of the Adamant.

❀ NETWORK

Oh! Look! There are more of you.

YOU may refer to
(1) Hatchlings;
(2) Children of the Leviathan,
depending on your cultural and religious background.

Hello and welcome! My name is Cartagena. As you will be responsible for one another's, and the former crew and passengers of the Adamant's, survival, it is in our best interests to get to know one another.

I have prepared some questions:

If you could be anywhere else right now, where would you go, what would you bring with you, and why?



Oh. Oh dear. That one isn't really ideal, is it? Just a moment. I will find a better one.

If you won the lottery*, what would you do with the money?

*LOTTERY may refer to a means of raising money by selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the holders of numbers drawn at random.

A few notes:

☆ Characters may choose their own network usernames.

NAVIGATION ❀

Comments

MOD QUESTIONS

[raiamods]

Please direct TDM-specific questions here.

josuke higashikata | jjba: diamond is unbreakable

[haircared]

I. engineering corps

Oh, sorry, I'm not really a tools kind of guy...

[ He's waving his hands in front of him politely, trying to decline and gently shoot down any questions about his inclinations for building. Thorkil just seems like such a nice guy that Josuke would hate to let him down! Josuke is leading Thorkil over to some pieces of scrap worn metal that must have fallen off some of Camp Leviathan somewhere - rusted and dented and all sorts of messed up. ]

This is the best I could do for you.

[ With that, he raps a knuckle against the metal, and those in tune with the ✨supernatural✨ may see him and the sheet of metal glow with a pink aura, the metal twisting and stretching until it's strangely... shiny and un-rusted again? As if taken back in time? The metal sheet then drops unceremoniously onto the ground with a loud clang, which Josuke seems to jump at a bit, sheepish— the corner of the sheet also definitely just caught the end of your shoe as you were walking past. ]

Woah— didn't land on your foot or anything, did it?

II. aid station

a.
[ Look, he would normally be a little more hush-hush about using his super special healing powers right out in the open... but no, these people really need it. It hurts his heart to see so many people in pain, and it would go against pretty much everything in him to turn a blind eye— so he's quick to find himself putting in a full day's work at the aid station. Those injured who are touched by Josuke's hand, so long as their problem is a physical wound, find abrasions close up, broken bones mend themselves, and burns or rashes dissipate without so much as a sting.

There's a small gathering of people outside the aid station who have been treated by him, some of them whispering and gossiping about this kid with the weird hair and the seemingly miraculous healing. At this point, he's starting to get a little embarrassed, and just assumes the closest person to him is the next person waiting to be treated by him. Whether they are or not... he's offering anyway. He reaches out a hand to you, his eyes averted - cheeks a little hot from the eyes on him. ]

You injured too? Gimme your hand.

b.
Dude, my neck is so sore.

[ Josuke is a #friendlyteen, and thus feels pretty comfortable striking up conversation even with people he's only been acquaintances with for a few hours. Maybe you met him in the aid station, or simply sat near him during lunch once, but he's rubbing his neck as he walks next to you back towards the cafeteria. ]

Do you know if it's always this messed up here? There were so many injuries back there...

[ He's also from, you know, the pretty normal suburbs where the only people getting horrifically injured are superpowered teens. Surely this has to have been a bad day, and people aren't always put through the wringer like this?? ]

III. fetch quest

[ Does he want to be on this mission? Not particularly. There's about a thousand and one things that creep him out about the planet, and the Adamant itself is almost worse. It's huge, empty, and almost worst of all: dusty. It's disgusting! The two of you may have made it to the ship, but Josuke seems to be dragging his feet on getting any further inside the massive vehicle, brows furrowed with skepticism as the two of you cross over the threshold. ]

Didn't they say there's... bodies still on here? [ That's CREEPY, man. What if there's ghosts!! ] I dunno, this seems really sketchy...

IV. network

if i won the lottery id buy a new wardrobe of all the latest fashions
and then eat all the most expensive food in my hometown... oh and obviously id buy some new shoes
pretty sure the ones i have now are gonna get totally trashed by this place

B

[figlia_morbida]

[It takes Trish a moment to register that someone is talking to her, and she makes a soft noise, looking next to her - and then up, up - because Josuke is a pretty tall lad! Absolute unit.

She still takes another moment to glance around and make sure he's not talking to anyone else at the risk of embarrassing herself, and when it's obvious no one is around she finally says something.]

...You must be one of the new people.

[She hates that there's more! The Leviathan wasn't satisfied making the group already here miserable. No, it needed more people under its literal wing, apparently.]

Has no one said anything to you? [She sighs, less exasperated and more tired than anything else.] We're on a hostile alien planet, everything here can kill a man whether it wants to or not, and there isn't enough resources to go around freely.

[She says it matter-of-factly, even if she doesn't look happy about it.]

iii

[lapideity]

[ever-patient, zhongli can wait as long as it takes for the boy to air his concerns about the mission.]

Unfortunately, every place where a tragedy has occurred will always have some traces of life left-- and depending on how much time has passed, that means the bodies of those who did not make it.

[then he looks up at the massive ship about them, a ship of the likes he's never seen before.]

Hmmm... I can venture further in by myself, if you'd rather stay here. [except that might get him lost, especially when he doesn't know this place at all.]

un. vidar

[spalten]

How old are you?

I

[unfastens]

[ normally, he probably would have been a little more alert and gotten out of the way before getting his foot clocked by a square of sheet metal, but his attention was very much elsewhere. While he's not much for actual engineering, his abilities can come in handy for repairs here and there. Sticky Fingers isn't a permanent solution for anything, but it's good at holding things together temporarily and even better at taking things apart. With the security team still resisting recruiting any of their ilk, helping here and there is about all Bruno can do on the camp. Good thing he has a Stand with practical applications.

And, apparently, he's not the only one, which is exactly what distracted him here. Was that a motherfucking Jojo reference???? He winces a bit as the metal smacks him in the toe, but shakes it off quickly. ]

-- No, it's fine. [ it actually did but that's not important!! ] What you did just now...

[ he trails off, eyes flicking over briefly to Thorkil and some other refugees working in the area. Hmm. ]

I'd like to borrow a moment of your time. Do you mind?

nehan | granblue fantasy

[apathie]

aid station (cw: some medical icks)

[seeing how the resident doctor is so harried, moaning about wanting to take a break, the erune doesn't feel any need to take her place. he certainly doesn't want to be in that situation-- not in a place he doesn't know, with wildlife he doesn't know how to manipulate, with drugs he cant understand. so he keeps his head down, and his back facing her, just so she doesn't see what he's doing with his hands as he works on someone with quick, steady, experienced hands. luckily he has his coat to obscure any eyes that may be following him. and to hide his guns. even he knows they're inappropriate in such a setting, but he needs them for protection.

nehan takes a bottle of alcohol and reaches for a cotton swab... before thinking better of it. he'll just pour the thing once he gets this out of the way:]

This is going to sting-- that's natural. That means it's cleaning the dirt from the wound, and killing what bacteria is in it. I'll apply it right away, unless you want some cloth to muffle your screaming. [is this good bedside manner or not?]

the quago: effects

[given his help at the aid station, nehan has been tapped to help out again. he doesn't need to take notes on those in deep sleeps, but he does so anyway. he himself doesn't need sleep, not right now. this is fine, sleep is for the weak, not for those dead inside. but he also takes it upon himself to pay attention to those affected, but are not sleeping. who seem more animated than most-- after all, who knows if they're contagious?

his ears twitch when he hears sounds-- sounds that should not be there, like someone moving about and doing things. that makes him peek into the room, one hand on one of his guns... before he takes his hand off it and scowls.]

Go bad to bed. [his tone is stern. he's not going to relent, no matter the argument.] Don't make me force you.

network

username: karm

I was already going to the place I would rather be in, with what I had on hand and what I have now. There's no other explanation than me preferring to get on with my life.

wildcard
[[ bring your own prompt! nehan prefers to be a non-combatant, but there are many other ways of getting him into conflict, like an argument or a little physical scuffle. helping people grow pot would be funny though! however, nehan does touch on a lot of triggery things, so please have a look at his permissions post. feel free to pm this account or grab me at wildtrapinch. ]]

aid station

[skagzz]

(CW: misgendering: Tina calls everyone "girl" and swears a lot)

[ Tina woke up in a GOD. DAMN. DRAGON. EGG. And they made her come HERE. To get SHOTS. These motherhumpin' KILLJOYS. She will be speaking to the manager. ]

Giiiiiiirl you better not be stickin' that junk in my trunk. Imma scream SO LOUD. So loud.

aid station; (cw: injury description)

[underworlds]

（ it's been a goodly goddamn spell since he's felt pain of any sort, but even that's a novelty. you spend just about a century and a half as a spirit, a little pain of the flesh is almost a relief.

his leg's lookin' gory enough, bits of yellow fat stained bloody visible where the meat of his thigh is slashed up. one of those little clawed creatures jumped at he and skokash — sooner him than his horse, is all he has to say on the matter. and at that comment about screaming he damn-near guffaws. ）

Nah, just get on with it. You can owe me a shot of moonshine after.

zuleikha | original

[birdroads]

→ wake up (for other new hatchlings)

[ She tries to cast cover instinctively, waiting for the waves of fog to erupt from the crack in the egg, blanket the area, and any thinking that needs to happen can fall strictly under the purview of Later. Not even a measly spark issues from her fingers, and standing makes the room spin. ]

[ Zuleikha crumples inelegantly, and barely registers being helped to the theatre, where she folds heavily on the sleeping bag, begs off the helping hands and leans against the wall, rubbing her forehead. ]

I thought my morning would go very differently.

[ She groans. The power of positive thinking. Yeah. Easier said than done. ]

[ Waving weakly to you, ]

Hey, are you —

[ New here too, fam? ]

→ at the theatre

[ Listen, the moment the magic's back on, there's the occasional drift of musical notes in an indistinct melody. Children rush and scream chasing dancing sparks — which are coming from Zuleikha's fingertips. She is curled up very comfortably on one of the chairs, boots up, and casting quickly with snaps of her fingers. It's just baby magic, taking no effort and showcasing no especial skill. But It'd been a horror to lose — to think she might have to work through each and every bit of it again, anything of the past erased and reset. ]

[ Meeting your eyes, she grins. ]

Do you have requests? I can make animals. 

→ fetch quest

I'm holding out for spice packets. 

[ Is the light remark, as Zuleikha rummages around towards your left. The Adamant is quiet, and her hand has barely been that far from one pistol or the other, but the journey here was uneventful, and she's in no mood to have that extend to this search. ]

Or sauce. The food could use some.

→ network (un: stormchaser)

If you could be anywhere else right now, where would you go, what would you bring with you, and why?

I'd much rather be in Seagarden with a tall glass of calamansi juice. Seriously. I was in the middle of my vacation. Three weeks of nothing but fun in the sun.

[ Nope. But no one from Libertalia is stupid enough to say they're from there, and she can't believe that's what feels like a missing piece of her too. She hopes the name will work as a beacon, draw any other member of the crew to her — ask about their last mission. ]

If you won the lottery*, what would you do with the money?

You buy tickets for a draw? You know that's a scam waiting to happen, right?

[ ... ]

What does everybody call themselves here anyway?

→ wildcard

[ ooc: hit me w anything else! she will be wandering around the agriculture unit, or in the armoury comparing weapons. happy to write up a specific scenario for any of these locations or those mentioned in this prompt! ]

@lowkey

[jotun]

the scam is the point

fetch quest

[identities]

Herbs would be the holy grail.

[ éadaoin surveys the hallway ahead of them with her flashlight, frowning. the cramped, darkened corridor sends memories flooding back to her, inducing a series of nauseated expressions that have nothing to do with the rank smell of the place. it reminds her of akromika's palace. not in the fun, wholesome, no-place-like-home way.

she shakes her head. where was she before she got lost in a past life? ]

Uh. I just mean, they had hydroponic gardens back at the camp. If we could find herbs, they'd be able to grow more. Spices are harder.

theater

[neversmall]

[ Well. Nina's never seen anything like this before. (And Matthias is very lucky that he recently sealed the deal.) ]

Animals of light? [ Just to clarify, because she'd prefer not to have another animal to feed, thank you. ] Can you make a bird?

at the theater

[skagzz]

[ Tina was placed in a vile and debased institution called school where she was supposed to get along with other children while being told what she should do.

Ahahahaha yeah F that crap. Tina rigged a mild (MILD OKAY NO ONE WAS HURT IT BASICALLY WASN'T EVEN AN EXPLOSIVE, KAREN) bomb-I-mean-diversion and snuck out to the HOOD of this BIOTCH BS PLANET.

She was promptly distracted by balloon animals. ]

Oooh oooh! Can you make a dragon and then a bigger dragon biting the dragon and then they fight and then there's blood everywhere and then one EATS the other dragon? One should be yellow. Like the burning fury of the sun.

fetchin

[unfastens]

[ he's here, too, apparently unarmed and looking relatively exhausted - the insomnia from those spores was not kind to him, predictably - but unable to pass up a chance to explore the wreckage regardless of his lingering symptoms. He's been mostly quiet, but it's evident that's due to his serious demeanor more than any sort of surliness; her comment gets a short breath from him, the suggestion of a laugh. ]

Don't get my hopes up. [ he misses the food from his home ... so much ... ] Have you found anything?

[ he's got a crate open, but it's obvious that something else had gotten it open before he got here. The contents are mostly chewed-up remains of waterlogged papers - presumably photographs or paper files of some kind that didn't make it past some critter's stomach. ]

wildcard

[appetere]

[ You have been pounced upon by a black cat with cardinal-red wings. What do? ]

fetch quest

[lapideity]

Tea, I hope. [zhongli has taken to shifting larger pieces of debris around to make way for both of them, and does so without much problem, no matter the size of the rubble compared to his body. he doesn't even think much of it, focused as he is on the task.]

Other useful materials would be beneficial... but I personally would prefer tea.

zhongli | genshin impact

[lapideity]

base camp

[if anyone has wondered how someone hemming and hawing over rocks around the encampment would look like, look no longer. zhongli is crouching just at the edges of camp, studying rocks, picking one up and setting it aside. then taking back other rocks and setting them all up in a line

quite a sight for a man in such a well-tailored suit, playing with the dirt.]

Ah-- [he gains a smile on his face as he notes someone looking, and he stands, placing one hand behind his back as is customary for him.] What may I help you with? Are you a newcomer as well-- ah, what did they call us... Hatchling? An apt enough description.

communications

[someone has noticed zhongli's deep voice, and has roped him into helping at communications. someone or something called cartagena, though he has yet to understand what artificial intelligence means. perhaps a bodiless spirit, much like... ah, nevermind.

perhaps he's already done so, and feels awkward at a microphone when he doesn't know how half of this technology works. he doesn't know if he's overenunciating, or speaking too quickly... or anything, even if his job is as easy as reading off of a piece of paper handed to him. so he's just outside of the communications area, holding onto the old notes he was given, and speaking each line out loud, and pausing. then trying again to hear himself speak. and then moves on to the next one.]

Mmn, but what is a... [a pause when he notes he's not alone.] Ah, apologies. Have my musings disturbed you?

fetch quest

Let me assist in this endeavor-- I'm not one to sit on my heels. [he accompanies that comment with a smile, despite the circumstances. he's well aware of the dangers! but he does want to put his companion at ease. they're strangers after all, and it's natural to be wary of strangers.

then he looks towards the direction they're supposed to go in, trying to determine how fast they can go without tiring themselves before the journey is over. then shakes his head-- every journey has its final day, no need to rush. they've determined that those afflicted are not inn any real danger to themselves, or anyone else.]

I'll be sure to pull my weight... and protect you, if necessary. How dangerous would this trip be, you think?

wildcard
[[ bring your own prompt! i'm up for going against the quago with zhongli, though am unsure if he's affected or immune. feel free to pm this account or grab me at wildtrapinch. ]]

base camp

[spalten]

... I'm a bit more worried about you, actually.

[ why is he. why is that. hmm. ]

If you need other hobbies, do let me know. There's not much in the basecamp but that doesn't mean it's not without its ... charms.

caesar zeppeli - jojo's bizarre adventure - ota

[casaposa]

Hatching

[None of it makes sense to a dead man and his attempts to rationalize what this is against what he expected the afterlife to be-

It makes him angry.

Furious and frustrated in an unexpected way and he works with his hands to deal with it. There are threats in his world that still loom, but the situation here is dire enough to distract him. The place needs upkeep and work-he can do that. Can manage and help out with small repairs.

Even if it's inside the body of a dragon. Absurd.]

What kind of fairytale were we pulled into? This must be a joke.

Fetch Quest

[The rarity of chocolate isn't something he thought he would experience in his lifetime. A two day trek to visit some already rummaged through wreckage for the opportunity to find a bit of candy. The fact it's a cure to some noname illness is another bizarre twist.

He pulls aside junk all the same-searching for useful items and-

Maybe a little extra for all the kids back in the theatre. Not that he's having luck collecting anything right now, let alone getting the luxury of finding a toy or two. ]

Any luck?

Wildcard

[HMU with whatever or pm me for a custom starter!]

SHIZAAAAAAAAAA(A)

[unfastens]

[ welcome to the club, my dude

Bucciarati has no way of knowing that this guy's thoughts are oddly similar to the ones he was having when he woke up. He's just here, helping out with the same odd job (he has no engineering skills to speak of, but he's got two brain cells to rub together, which means he can at least help out with minor repairs), not entirely by coincidence. More people came out of the eggs. This was not something he was expecting. So he's doing a little bit of on-the-ground investigating. And it doesn't hurt to get to know the other people stuck in this situation, either. ]

I thought I was hallucinating, [ he offers, sympathetic - in that sort of stiff Bruno way, anyway. ] Sorry, but it's the real thing. We've been here almost a month.

éadaoin (original)

[identities]

AGRICULTURE

[ rows upon rows of plants and still not enough to feed as many people as they have. éadaoin has an eye for these things. these plants are not enough to sustain a whole population, which explains the soylent substitute the new hatchlings had been fed. she paces between the rows, touching the leaves of some of the tomato plants.

they're growing fine, despite any atmospheric differences. lucky. then she touches her fingers to the casing, and she realizes the real issue isn't the atmosphere and the lack of earth's soil, the real issue is that imitating earth's soil in hydroponics is a short term solution. ]

They're so fucked.



[ later, she can be found straying out from under the leviathan's shelter without a rain shield. she at least checks the sky for likely immediate acid rain first, then scampers out to gather soil samples and start prodding at some of the immediate native grasses. there aren't many of them, certainly not hearty enough for farming. the region looks mountainous, if anything.

she plops down into the dirt, shoulders slumped heavily, staring up at the sky as if wishing for it to rain and put them all out of their misery already. ]

QUAGO SYMPTOMS (cw: hallucination, minor gender dysphoria)

[ at first, she doesn't realize what's going on. it's normal. éadaoin gets into the shower, turns on the spray, and when it hits her skin like cold needles, she jumps and flashes to something else. a memory. a relived past life, on that she hadn't hit yet. one where she's a little boy with shiny black leather shoes that kick over the edge of the open train car that rumbles lightning-fast across the countryside. someone beside her (him? no, she's still her.) plays a sad, wheedling tune on harmonica.

and then she's back in the shower. scrubbing at a red patch of skin near her collarbone. she grabs a towel when the water runs out and pats at it when the next hallucination hits, worse this time, knocking her to her knees. she crashes into the row of lockers and slides to the floor, shrieking at anyone who tries to touch her. ]

NETWORK (@flowergirl)

all the money in the world can't buy what i want.

@feardorcha

[lovetalks]

Is it a shower because my offer of that sponge bath still stands.

nero | oc (this man is a cowboy, he is dressed like a cowboy, please poke fun at his cowboyness)

[underworlds]

around basecamp;

（ nero's sitting off to the side somewhere mending what looks to be a fishing net. he's got quick, deft hands, and seems to know his business. he ain't a fisherman, to be sure, but he's spent a lifetime (more than one, if he's being honest) wrangling all manner of god's creatures, and he knows ropework. the man is dressed like he's either here to reenact tombstone or like a rancher hipster, there's really no in-between. but the stains of sweat and salt around the brim of his hat, at the throat of his shirt and beneath the arms at least speaks to him being somewhat better versed in work than the average shill.

what is entirely more remarkable about him, however, is the fact that he's got a horse beside him that seems to be a bit... on fire. mostly its mane, tail, and the tufts of hair at its fetlocks. the horse is small, compact, and covered in about as many scars as the man beside it, and it seems content to stand there hipshot, its eyes half-closed and its neck roughly aligned with its spine. dozing, to anyone familiar with horses.

the horse will rouse itself if anyone passes nearby, ears flickering attentively to track the sound. it will also make a faint wuffling sound as it tries to scent you on the air.

the man beside it looks up from the net he's repairing, tips his hat back and gives you a once-over. he ain't used to being seen or noticed, much less able to speak to people, so his tone's affable when he says: ）

Don't mind him, he's picky 'bout his company.

（ his accent is a jumble of places. a little southern, a little spanish, a sprinkle of irish, as old and out-of-place as his outfit and as strange again, surely, as his horse. ）

Could use a hand with this net, if'n you're looking to help out.

（ what he won't say is that he's mighty lonely, and having other folks around is a half-decent way to quell it. ）

messhall work;

（ he's absolutely fuckin' filthy, a towel slung over his shoulder, long hair pulled back into the world's messiest bun. the hat is nowhere to be seen. he's collecting plates into a push-cart, and right when he rolls past you one of the wheels on it breaks.

he ain't about to curse a hardy blue streak in front of a stranger, but he does mutter a very quiet well, fuck as he bends to see about fixing it. with a tired sigh he sits down on the bench across from you. ）

Put your plate in the bin when you're done, yeah?

（ since he's probably going to be stuck here a spell while he fixes this. ）

fetch quest;

（ have you ever ridden a horse? what about a scrappy little mustang pinto with fiery accents to its mane, tail and fetlock?

... do you want to? because nero is absolutely offering one gloved hand out to you. ）

The fire won't burn you. He's harmless, my hand to God.

（ the horse crowhops a little sideways, and the man speaks to it in low gaeilge and it stills with a snort that somehow still conveys its irritation. ）

network; (@vaquero)

Gamble, mostly. Beer maybe. Can't say as I'd do anything smart with it.

around basecamp

[identities]

You brought your horse?

[ éadaoin is not jumping to help out, as it were. it's possible she'd pick up the net and remember something, a skill she's forgotten she had because it was five or seven lifetimes ago. but she doesn't want to invite it. she's barely holding the fragile web of her sanity together as-is. ]

Misaka #10032 | A Certain Scientific Railgun

[misakaimouto]

Hatching

'Ah. It's covered in slime,' Misaka says aloud to no one in particular in a disappointed fashion. [She's crouching down near the egg she'd hatched from, returning to it to procure the goggles that she'd been told would likely be there should she return. Unfortunately... They're in a less than ideal situation to wear.] 'Misaka's goggles will require prompt cleaning from the substance,' Misaka airs her complaints, hoping that they still work despite the slime coating them. [Which is to say... Handling them gently as she lifts them up to inspect how much damage might have been done.

Despite the monotone words, he clearly cares about the item in her hands. 10032 wipes down the headpiece with her hand, flicking it carelessly away as she does.]

Theater

'It is the older siblings duty to take care of the younger,' Misaka chastises the children to the best of her knowledge as she secretly applies brainwashing techniques to growing young minds. [Which is to say, she's hastily trying to teach children things that probably don't make much of a difference in their day to day life. Unfortunately for 10032, narrating herself and speaking in the third person tends to make it hard to truly get away with things.

Still, the situation is extremely familiar, only she doesn't have Mikoto at her side this time as she says these things. And the lack of a true network is already fairly lonely.]

Fetch Quest

[Inside the Adamant, it's not all pitch black. At least, not in the rooms where 10032 is. The lights are on, if the bulbs haven't blown, and she's rooting through rubble and wreckage and overgrown shelving.]

'This would be easier if Misaka knew what sort of packaging chocolate came in,' Misaka grumbles in an exasperated manner as she roots through molding boxes and rubble. [Of course, 10032 straightens immediately once someone is close enough that she can sense another persons bio-electricity.] 'You are out of luck, this area seems devoid of chocolate as well,' Misaka explains to the unknown person that their search here is futile.

Network

UN: 10032
Misaka would rub it in all of her sisters faces and gloat about her superior luck if she won a lottery.

(ooc: as a heads up, she narrates her actions and speaks in the third person. I hope I've made that clear enough! o/)

Theater

[figlia_morbida]

[Trish is sitting on the edge of the stage, her favorite vantage point after rehearsal ends for the day for the thespian crew. She perhaps likes to be tall...

It let's her be really obvious about her people watching too, and she's listening in on Misaka's lesson with idle interest. Which...the narration doesn't immediately strike her as strange, considering where they are, and she pipes up from her spot:]

So where does that leave those of us that are an only child?

[Are they perhaps duty free?

She's being facetious, of course, since Misaka is probably including adoptive siblings in her narrative. There's likely a lot of that dynamic here at the camp...

But Trish doesn't have anyone like that, and she's likely not the only one, so she's curious where their standing is in this lesson.]

luke saenz | original

[spacedicks]

the thessyx; cw: xenophobia

[ as their new cross-species friends parade into carcass-town with their prize monster-clam, Luke’s refraining from aggression, as requested. Even if barely, fidgeting with the clasp on his gun holster, rolling too-tense shoulders, and eying strangers too closely. Actively welcoming is too big of an ask, but he can keep his mouth shut, so long as he can also keep his gun - one thing a cautious guard takes issue with as Luke’s hand doesn’t seem eager to drift more than a couple inches from his sidearm while the procession drifts by. Security Bro's anxiety is doing absolutely nothing to ease Luke's chill right now, so let's just address that head-on. ]

Last aliens I met - we didn’t get along.

[ they killed his grandma and, like, half of human life as he knew it. Luke took it kind of personal, and hasn’t felt the motivation to get over it as of yet. He leans to the side, whispering like it’s some giddy secret he’s sharing. ] So unless you want a quick and messy new hole in your rad Batman belt there, get your beady creeper stare off my firearm, friend.

[ the guard glares (thumbs hooking self-consciously into the utility belt in question), little appreciation for the tone, but understands the tenants of deescalation. He’s allowed to keep the gun, though the guard’s settling himself here to supervise. Fine enough - Luke turns his attention back to the aliens gliding about in front of him, flashing a weakly-forced, insincere smirk. ]

Sup, Nemo.

[ does ‘no fish jokes’ count if the fish people won’t get it? ]

the quago; cw: mention of drugs

Why’d you wake me?

[ luke grumbles, lifting his head from the desk in the agriculture lab, a sheet of paper stuck to his cheek. Gardening isn’t his chief skill, but after seeing the weed selection, luke’s devoted himself to building a more efficient hydroponics rig for the modest growers. That’d be the schematics he’s working on currently adhered to his cheek with a bit of drool. Nice nap, bud? ]

Haven’t slept that good since before the space dicks touched down. You remember Churros? [ the doughy, cinnamon-sugar sticks, you know the ones. ] That kinda good.

[ some of the few things that make luke miss society - churros vendors. Alas. blinking away the sleep, he snatches the sheet from his face, and glances around the lab, noticing something missing - his latest conversation partner. ]

Where’s Tentacle Baby? [ the little potted thing Tentacle Mama just stealthed away with, using that lullaby Luke woke from a second ago. Missing small and seemingly defenseless things is the one of the prime sources of Luke's typical alarm and anxiety, and he half lifts, half falls from his desk to sleepily stumble around, searching for his little alien plant bro. ]

Octoplant? Audrey III?

the network; un: yeahsciencebitch

> If you won the lottery*, what would you do with the money?

fill a kiddie pool with cash and roll around naked in it
use $100 bills for rolling paper
capitalism is dead and currency is meaningless
all hail our new god, PVC

wildcard;

[[ hit me!! ]]

pɹɐɔpʅᴉʍ

[wittingly]

( They're keeping the newly displaced — no, hatchlings is what they're going with here? — in the theater. Ian remembers the upset when he first arrived, the angry and grieving individuals furious about their deceased loved ones' clothes being given away. He doesn't have a lot of time, maybe an hour for lunch, but it's long enough for him to swing by during distribution so he can use his God-Given (literally) power to ease the transition for them. )

Here you go, man...

( He's most of the way through duplicating a shirt when he happens to glance up and see a familiar face. For a full second, he can't believe what he's seeing. It shouldn't be such a shock, he knows people who have come in groups - Nate and his brother, a few obnoxious pairs from the network, but in all the months he spent in New Amsterdam he never saw a face from home. He sure as hell wasn't expecting one here.

The guy he's passing the shirt off to looks confused by Ian's sudden distraction, and he foists it over without a second glance, too busy striding away toward him. )

Luke?

( Called out raspy and disbelieving over the din of chatter around them.

Yeah man he's going straight forth in for a hug that might seem excessive or disproportionate to Luke depending on how long Ian's been gone in his timeline, or if he's been gone at all. )

Ensign Tilly ⭐ Star Trek: Discovery ⭐ OTA

[discotech]

Network, Video

[ The viewscreen shows a young woman with very long, very curly red hair in a high ponytail. She's cleaned up her Starfleet uniform to specs despite being the only member of her crew... or the Federation at all on this world.

Tilly is a bit fidgety, but doesn't seem to be having any issues using the heads up holographic display to record her message. She gives the camera a sheepish wave. ]

Right, hi. I'm going to pretend that AI isn't way too close to sounding self-aware for my comfort levels and introduce myself. Ensign Sylvia Tilly, USS Discovery, United Federation of Planets. But since Starfleet and the Federation don't seem to exist here, I guess Tilly is fine. Especially since the Adamant seems to use the same rank structure for their all-human crew. [ By the way she says that, she seems to have expected a crew of a ship this advanced to have multiple species aboard. If it weren't for the lack of torture and shiny outfits, she'd worry she was in the Terran universe. ]

This isn't my first time stranded in an alternate universe or timeline, but it is my first time alone. Well, not alone, but without my crew. It kinda sucks? I mean, better just me than the entire ship- I can only imagine what the Adamant crew's gone through. [ The flicker of sadness on their behalf is genuine, if brief once she catches herself getting off-track. ]

The Temporal Prime Directive says I shouldn't be using the tech that came with me to help anyone out here- but I think we're a little beyond that to be honest. I was the top theoretical engineer in my graduating class at the Academy and I can't just stand by with so much stuff that needs fixing. Or building. I don't know if I can build a good food synthesizer, but I might at least be able to make one that can formulate some protein supplements. [ Her face once again betrays her thoughts at the unappealing nature of such a thing. ]

So if you've got anything that needs fixing, I'm pretty easy to find. Especially since I am not sleeping well in that hammock, and I need something to keep me occupied when everyone else is sleeping.

Basecamp - Various

Tilly might not be the most socially graceful person, but she's very outgoing and quick to start chatting people up, be they Adamant crew or fellow Hatchlings, as well as warily using the AI to familiarize herself with the history of Earth in this universe.

In Communications she can be found going over and asking pointed questions about the distress signal beacon and it's capacity. Wait, have they tried a vetreon coil? Look, no, see, you need that with the tetryon shunt and that'll get that anomalous power spike to stop- wait, or those stem bolts even self-sealing?

In Engineering, it's like she and the Adamant crew are speaking another language- sometimes to people listening in and sometimes to each other. Crew members either seem to love her knack for fixing things or hate her for her inability to shut the hell up.

She's making herself useful not to be thrown out, at least. It helps that she's the only one who knows how to use or read her tricorder's results, diagnosing mechanical issues in a matter of seconds.
The warbling, trilling sound of the 23rd century tool precedes her findings. "There's fused wiring six centimeters from the auxiliary resonance monitor. Probably a feedback issue."

Her time in the theatre is spent with the younger kids, putting her bubbly energy and willingness to make herself look silly to use in entertaining them in their games of make-believe.

"Oh no!" she's says in a heavy Scots accent, holding a prop elastic-strung bow. "I've turned my mother into a bear?! That's horrible."

You can't really complain when a 7-year-old typecasts you.

engineering.

[trassel]

Someone — either with a very bright idea or also fed up with the both of them and deciding they can annoy each other — has handed Matthias a large box of spare parts and directed him and Tilly to an area near one of the sinkholes, that still needs patching. Matthias had gently herded her aside to check for any of the moles first: he's known for being a bit soft on them, can't help it, really. Alien or not, they're animals.

Satisfied that nothing is about to come poking up, Tilly's tall, hulking shadow returns to her side. Thus far, he has simply listened, nodded, moved or lifted heavy objects for her, and handed her parts.

'Can we fix it?'

We, a little generous. He's out of touch with any of the technology here, just tries not to be in the way, mostly.

bryde ( the dreamer trilogy )

[treespeaks]

( basecamp )

[ despite his best efforts, it's taking bryde longer to adjust than he'd like to admit, although he's aware that he should likely be more patient with himself. he is, after all, a complicated creature, and technically only a few months old. and given his connections to the ley lines back home, to the magic of his world, well, it's only natural that it might take some time to feel.. awake. as awake, at least, as a dreamt dreamer can ever be.

the sweetmetal he'd stolen, at least, is still safely in his possession, although he's not certain how long it will last him, or even if it's necessary. his dreamer isn't dead, after all, simply elsewhere, and in theory, this world is full of enough magic to sustain him until he can get back home.

still, he knows how dazed and lost he must look, even after others are beginning to recover from the shock of arrival. being in hydroponics helps a little, although not much. these are domesticated plants, orderly rows tended by human hands. they don't know earth's forests, and there are no trees. still, it's better than nothing. ]

They don't speak, [ he admits to someone nearby, feeling a little lightheaded. ] At least, not in any language I can hear.

( quago )

[ as a dream, and as one that was made with certain characteristics in mind, there are a number of aspects of humanity that his dreamer unconsciously disregarded when creating him. he is, in fact, mostly magic, which also means that.. the spores don't really affect him.

he's agreeable enough when it comes to helping those that were, though, administering the unusual cure, slender hand steady against someone's upper back as he helps them to sit up. ]

Careful, I'm told the effects may linger. [ then, with a small, pleased smile: ] It's a shame that you weren't able to see the parent. [ what parent? ]

( network | un: bryde )

I don't care about things like money, and I have very few of the needs that humans share with one another.

network; @dr. j.e. reid

[deathpending]

Meaning you are human but no longer require these, or were not human at all to begin with?